NEW PRODUCTS & EQUIPMENT
MASTIC ROCK ASPHALT
The origin of Mastic Asphalt is lost in the mists of antiquity, but its use as a waterproofing medium was known as far back as 3000 B.C. in Babylon, when virtually the same class of material was used as in present day construction.
With the discovery in the early nineteenth century of the European Rock Asphalt Deposits, the way was opened for the development of the Mastic Rock Asphalt industry.
Trials in Paris in 1895 and a year later in London, con- Armed that, suitably enriched with Trinidad Lake Asphalt and Asphaltic Bitumen, a waterproofing medium was at hand with wide possibilities of application.
That subsequent experience has borne out early optimistic forecasts is clear from the fact that the present annual pro- duction of Mastic Asphalt in the Great Britain has reached an impressive figure which is in the region of 300,000 tons per year, and all the indications are that an expansion of this figure can be expected in the figure. A significant develop- ment is that many of the grades are now being marketed in attractive colours, comprising approximately 10% of the total production.
The basic form of Mastic Asphalt as used to-day for the damp-proof coursing, roofing and flooring of buildings, sur- facing of roads, courtyards and platforms, etc., is a mixture of selected aggregates with a bituminious binder or asphaltic cement in such proportions as to yield a plastic voidless mass, which at a temperature of 200°C. can be trowelled by hand to any form or contour.
Mastic Rock Asphalt is manufactured under technical supervision from selected aggregates and in various grades, depending upon the form of construction for which it is required. The material is despatched from the factories moulded into blocks weighing approximately 56 lb. (25 kg.) or alternatively filled into open end metal containers of an approximate weight of 3 cwt. (153 kg.).
It is used principally as a waterproof covering for roofs but in its modern form of manufacture, special grades are made for dampcoursing, plain and decorative flooring, paving and as an acid ressistant.
As a roof covering it meets all possible variation of climate and temperature. It can be applied with equal facility over flat, sloping, curved or irregular surfaced roofing without break in continuity. As a flooring material it is dustless and jointless and easily cleaned and can be used where floors are required to withstand heavy traffic and high temperature. For decorative flooring the asphalt is supplied in red and brown shades.
William Jacks & Co., Ltd., who are the local agents for the Limmer & Trinidad Lake Asphalt Co., Ltd., inform us that they have undertaken the relaying of the roof of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank Building with mastic rock asphalt and that they have obtained contracts for the roofing of the new Government police stations at Shaukiwan, Bayview, Hunghom and Kowloon City.
They point out that although the initial cost of laying the Mastic Rock Asphalt is somewhat higher than for ordinary roof waterproofing the fact that they are prepared to guarantee their roofing for twenty years whereas even the best of ordinary asphalt roof waterproofing seldom carries more than a five year guarantee, is a measure of the superiority of their product over other materials.
THE CLAWSON LINE
The R. S. Turner Company, exporters and importers of 210 California Street, San Francisco 11, California U.S.A. advise that they have been appointed exclusive export representatives for Clawson Protective Coatings Company, manufacturers of waterproofing, flameproofing, insulation and metal preservation products.
The Clawson line inclndes plastic cement, asbestos and fibre roof coatings and tank insulators, primer solutions and paints.
The waterproofing fire retardants include an almost colourless waterproofing primer solution; an asphaltic emulsion containing asbestos fibers, mica and other fillers, obtainable in three colours, silver, maroon and dark green.
Special flame proofing compounds to protect each of the following classes of materials are also manufactured:-
For precious wood.
For drapes, curtains, upholstery, rugs.
For commercial grade for cotton, burlap, overalls.
For flame and mothproofing.
For cellanese, nylon, acetate rayon.
The R. S. Turner Company are interested in finding a suitable distributor for these products in the Far East.
CORRECTION
In our previous issue we gave the name of the contractor for the Inter-Ocean Apartments as Mei Hon Co. The con- tractors were Mei On & Co. of 319, Hennessy Road.
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FIBREGLASS
The application of Glass for general insulation work is now becoming increasingly widespread with the introduction of a British product called "Fibreglass".
This product, because of its hundred and one uses, and because it is manufactured from a plentiful supply of materials, is relatively cheap compared with other insulating products. The manufacturers claim that "Fibreglass" is extremely light, is fireproof, and will resist acids, vermin, etc. and according to tests made, is non-hygroscopic, and is insensitive to vibration,
During 1914-1918, a German scientist conducted experi- ments with glass to find a suitable type of insulation that could be manufactured from abundant raw materials. The method of research was rather crude, but the results were startling. The first glass fibres were made by heating a glass rod in a gas flame and pulling the molten tip out to arm's length. The rod was then heated and the molten tip attached to a tyreless bicycle wheel. The cycle was pedalled hard until a skein as thick as a bicycle tyre had been accumulated. This was then cut off and broken up into suitable lengths. To-day the making of glass fibres is very much advanced. The modern method is to pass the molten glass through a number of very fine holes and the tiny streams so produced are then drawn into long thin fibres by steam.
In 1942, the s.s. "Port Halifax" and the s.s. "St. John" sailed out from England with their holds insulated with "Fibreglass", for the first time. After seven years of continuous service, most of it during the war, the two ships were stripped and their insulation examined. It proved to be in a perfect condition and, more than that, the steel behind the "Fibreglass" There and the paint that covered it, were as good as new. was no sign of settling or deterioration through vermin, which is very common aboard most vessels.
Glass wool has also served a purpose in the building industry. Nowadays, there are more and more flats being built than there ever were before, and sound insulation is obviously of great importance; by laying a floating floor of glass fibres, all structure borne sound is said to be eliminated and by packing the cavities of the walls with loose wool, the room becomes completely sound proof. In 1948 a test was made at the Building Exhibition at Olympia. A trip hammer contrivance was dropped on to the roof of an enclosed booth and the sound of the drop was rendered inaudible owing to an insulation of "Fibreglass", so it seems that glass fibres made into various forms, thicknesses, etc. will just about suit any purpose.
Full particulars about this interesting product may be obtained from Harry Wicking & Co., Ltd., who are the local selling agents.
NEW ROOF COATINGS
The Panther Oil & Grease Mfg. Co. of Fort Worth 1, Texas, are manufacturers and exporters of:
1.
Battleship Roof Coating. A heavy bodied asphalt base roof coating which contains asbestos fibers. It is spread with a brush over old roofing, resulting in a rubber-like, one-piece permanent roof.
Also the Roof Primer which is the same as the roof coating but without asbestos fibers.
2.
3.
Variations of the roof coating are the Plastic Cement which is of much heavier consistency resulting from the addition of more asbestos.
4.
The Aluminium Roof Coating which is an asphalt base aluminium paint.
5.
And the Surebrite Super Aluminium Paint which contains a resin base instead of asphalt.
They are also looking for salesmen or representatives to assist in the distribution of their products in this part of the world.
A NEW TRACING MEDIUM
There is now available a plastic film which provides a tracing medium for general drawing office and photo- reproductive work. The manufacturer claims that architects and engineers will find that for most purposes requiring a tracing material "Ethulon" tracing film is an improve- ment upon other materials in common use. The advantages claimed for this material are that it ensures fine con- tinuous lines, high ink adhesion, easy erasure, high dimen- sional stability, long life and ease of handling, excellent translucence and accurate colour separation. Even when creased or folded, "Ethulon" remains free from the opaque white marks which often mar the transparency of tracing- linen after handling. A good visibility is also claimed for this tracing film through a number of layers. Informa- tion and working samples may be obtained from the manufacturer's local offices in Hong Kong, May & Baker Ltd., 515/516 Marina House, Telephone 33693, and in Singapore, May & Baker Ltd., Nunes Building, Malacca Street, Telephone 2526.
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